What Lies in Store
by lightmylumiere
Summary: Mary Poppins, no longer a nanny to the Banks children, discovers that she is pregnant with Bert's child. She believes that their child will not complicate their outwardly platonic relationship or her job, but being practically perfect and a new mother don't exactly work together.
1. Chapter 1

For the first time, the wind wasn't telling Mary Poppins where to go.

As long as she could remember she had been hearing about the families that needed her service from the wind, but then it suddenly stopped blowing. She looked around her to see if anything had truly changed, but nothing was particularly out of the ordinary: the birds were still singing, the umbrella still spoke, her bag was still full of the most peculiar objects… her magic was still working, just she didn't know where to work.

Mary had been living in a little inn in Stratford, cozy and outside of the city. It had been a couple months since she had left the Banks children and she was getting restless quickly without any work. She didn't know what to do with herself, or what was wrong.

Then she thought back to her roll in the hay with a certain chimney sweep in one of his chalk worlds…no, that wasn't possible. It wasn't. It just couldn't happen; it didn't fit with her lifestyle or what she was doing with her time… She went to the doctor locally and found it to be true: Mary Poppins was pregnant.

She was not worried about this news, it was just a slight change in plans. She went into London in search of Bert and knew exactly where to find him at that time of day: in the park, working as a one-man band for all the money passers-by would toss in his hat. "Mary Poppins." He enunciated clearly, cutting off his piece a little early just to see her standing in his little audience. She gave a curt nod as if telling him to continue his piece. He did exactly that, and when he finished he collected the coins the audience was willing to give and ran straight up to Mary. Still wearing all of his instruments he just extended a hand to her though he wanted to wrap her in the fondest embrace he could. She accepted his handshake willingly and recommended them going to dinner. He went back to his flat to get dressed and she agreed to meet him at the restaurant so that they could sit down and chat.

Bert saw her sitting in front of that small cafe in the square, waiting for him with a menu perched in front of her face. Her blue petticoats rippled around her and filled the seat. Her black coat and hat gave her an ominous but streamlined presence that could be recognized from across the street. He felt like he was watching an angel from across the street, her hair perfectly smoothed away from her rosy cheeks and her lips turned up into a slight smirk. He approached her and sat down across from her, starting with a compliment before he even picked up the menu. "Mary Poppins, you look beautiful." She blushed.

"Charming as ever, Bert." She said coolly, not even looking up from her menu.

"What brings you back to London? A new family?" He asked, looking around her for any clues. "Usually you bring your new charges with you when you first come visit me." The waiter came by and he ordered for the both of them. "Tea and cakes, and a glass of rum punch for the missus." She held up her hand as if to dismiss the punch. The waiter went on without another word and took their menus, disappearing back into the building.

"Am I really that predictable?" Mary teased him a little.

Bert shrugged. "You've been ordering the same thing since I've known you. Always tea, cakes, and rum punch." She raised her eyebrows. "But no rum punch this time, I see."

She shook her head but sat in silence until the teapot came out with the two glasses and a small tray of petit fours and cucumber sandwiches. "Bert, I was intending on talking to you about something."

He continued to put little sandwiches on his and Mary's plates. "Go on, Mary Poppins. I'm all ears."

Mary Poppins took a deep breath and started to pour his tea. "I'm pregnant." She announced, completely nonplussed. Bert's jaw dropped. "Don't just sit there with your mouth open like a codfish." He closed his mouth very quickly but his mind was still running. _What did this mean?_ he wondered but didn't think to ask. _Is it mine? She must be joking. Mary can't be pregnant, she just can't be. This is Mary Poppins we're talking about._ "Now do you want cream and sugar? Two sugars per usual, I assume."

Bert nodded, uncomfortably fixing the cuffs of his sleeves. He finally mustered the strength to ask the question on his mind. "Is—is it—"

She gave her usual smirk of mild judgement. "Honestly, do you think—of course, Bert." She handed him his cup and began to fix her own. He took a deep breath and swallowed his tea quickly. It didn't do him as much good as a large swig of rum punch would, but it did just fine for the situation. "Now do you have any further questions or shall we move on to another subject?"

What questions didn't he have? There were so many things he wanted to know, but there were so many questions he knew he wouldn't get answers on. What was she to do? How was she feeling? How did she feel about _him_ , or about the child, or… anything really? Were they going to live together? How was he going to help her, or was she requesting him to not help? Only one question came out. "How long have you known?"

"Not terribly long." She told him, holding her teacup steady. Mary took a sip and then continued. "Not even a full day. I wanted you to know as soon as I did." _Well at least I was the second to know_ , he thought pridefully. "Now don't go off getting big headed. I figured you had the right to know. You're the father, after all."

He hadn't thought about it like that. Bert was going to be a father. Was he going to be a good father? He didn't know. He hadn't thought about it. He hadn't really had time for it to register. Had Mary Poppins thought about things like that? Probably not—not with him—after all, he still couldn't call her by her first name without including her last, even after all these years. The more he thought about it, the harder he realized it was to swallow his cucumber sandwich. He cleared his throat and tried to clear his mind. "Well what is next for you, Mary Poppins?"

"This doesn't change anything." She insisted and put her tea down for a few moments. "I will go and look in the paper for any job listings, become a nanny again, and I will work just as hard as I always do. You will continue doing what you do, it'll be like nothing has changed at all." She grabbed one of the petit fours and popped it into her mouth gracefully (which, to Bert, was an amazing feat; how does one eat a miniaturized cake and still manage to look as regal as she did?).

He knew it wasn't that simple. His mother had been a working woman up until he was born and she didn't work afterwards. Of course she only lived until he was about five… that was entirely besides the point. If anyone could do it all, it was Mary Poppins. He believed that with all his heart. "Why don't you stay with me until you find a new job?" Mary Poppins put a hand on her collar at the very mention of that. "You need a place to stay. After all, we're family now, ain't we?"

 _Family_ , thought she. _It's been so long since I've had one of those to call my own._


	2. Chapter 2

Bert led her upstairs to his flat and offered her anything he thought would make her more comfortable. A blanket, a cup of tea, a pile of pillows, a change of clothes… she kindly refused all of them but requested a copy of the paper to look at the _HELP WANTED_ section. While he went in search for one through the pile of papers on his table, she went to the water closet and changed out of her heavy petticoats into something lighter. She hardly looked any different—a little more comfortable, perhaps—still perfect, almost like a living doll. He handed her the paper and she started to peruse the paper.

She scanned the advertisements and found that there was only one thing clear: there were no families in London in need for nannies. "How could there be no more homes in this town that need nannies?" Usually she didn't have to scan the papers, she just _knew_ where she had to go. This time was different… even without the wind there was usually someone in need of a nanny. There were always lots of nannies looking for work (and she always found a way to wipe out the competition when it came to a family that truly needed her unique services). Now—she was sure—all the families that needed nannies had picked up some of the others in the city and there were no more open positions.

Bert came back in, face washed and pajama-clad, with a shriveled sideways smirk. "You could always go back to the Bankses."

Mary Poppins let out a soft scoff. "I told them I'd stay until the wind changed, and the wind changed months ago." Was it the worst idea? Of course not. The Banks family made her feel very at home, and Jane and Michael were both truly good children when it came down to it. She realized that she was less of a nanny for the children than she was for their father.

"What about some of the other families you have worked for over the past years?" Bert suggested.

She shook her head. "Mostly older… too old for nannies now, I'm afraid." In all honesty, even if some of those children she had watched before hadn't been too old for nannies she wouldn't go back to them. She had the task of working with terrible children until they were, well, less terrible. Her games always turned them around and she knew she was done when the wind changed. The breezes were gone, how would she know when her jobs were done? The wind was far better than her intuition (though hers was still better than most). "If I were returning to a home—and I'm not suggesting I will—it would be the Bankses."

He smiled. He really liked those kids; they were some of the better children she had governed over the years. Of course, Bert always made sure to be nice to the children Mary Poppins brought to see him (it meant more time with her, and he'd never say no to that). Naturally there were some he didn't like; the family with four daughters were positively bratty, and the redheaded triplets stole things. But Jane and Michael Banks were two he didn't mind looking out for. They were relatively good—a little lazy and a little flighty, perhaps, but they were just children. "I assume you're goin' to go and talk to Missus Banks tomorrow?"

"Or Mr. Banks, if he still insists on running the management of his household." She smirked and put the paper down on his coffee table. Mary Poppins leaned back and started to relax a little bit. He grabbed her an afghan off the back of the couch and covered her up, hoping that she would drift to sleep quickly and quietly.

The next day, Mary Poppins woke up to the sound of a piping tea kettle on the stove and Bert shuffling into the kitchen half-awake. His shirt still wasn't buttoned or tucked in, so she assumed he was running later than usual. She got up and pulled on her dress and helped get out cups, saucers, and biscuits out of the pantry. He grabbed the kettle, took it off the eye, and poured some tea for the both of them before hurrying off into the other room to finish getting dressed. She took the cue to do the same and let the tea cool a little before sipping. If she recalled Bert's schedule correctly, today should've been the day he went into the park to sell kites to families. She wasn't entirely sure based on how he was dressed, but it was certainly a good guess. Mary Poppins had given herself a goal for the day: go to visit the Banks family, and if it seemed like a good fit, ask for her old position back. After a quick breakfast of tea and biscuits, Mary Poppins and Bert went their separate ways in pursuit of making a living.

Mary Poppins had walked this way before, but she had never done so by herself. Usually she was chasing after her charges as they walked past Bert's building. Jane and Michael walked with her all the way from Mrs. Correy's sweet shop, past Bert's building, through the park, and back to their own home (and by the time they made it back they were out of gingerbread). She figured she could retrace that same path to make it back to number 17 Cherry Tree Lane.

She stood on the porch of the home that last offered her employment, debating on whether or not to actually go through with her plan and knock on their door. What if George Banks opened the door and wouldn't take her back? What if a new nanny was taking care of the children and she was back to scanning the paper in Bert's apartment hoping a home had an opening for her? Things could go horribly wrong. Did she want to risk it? She didn't have much of a choice. Mary Poppins knocked on the door and held her breath until someone opened it.

Luckily enough, she was greeted by the cheery smile of Winifred Banks. Though a little perplexed by her being there, she looked thoroughly thrilled to see her again. "Mary Poppins, what are you doing here?" She asked with her grin still perfectly in tact. Mary Poppins gulped, not wanting to be too forward in her work request. "Oh, please come in; sit down, have a bite to eat. I insist."

Mary Poppins came in and, as indicated by Mrs. Banks, sat down on the designated couch. Winifred Banks sat down across from her, poised and prim as ever. "Thank you, you're too kind." Mary Poppins started. Winifred Banks continued to speak before she could think to make requests.

"It's very good to see you again, Miss Mary Poppins. You were an excellent nanny to my children… did you come back to pick up your last wages? I'm afraid George might've—with all the commotion that day—"

"No, no, nothing like that." _Wages_ , thought Mary Poppins, _is that what she thinks this is about? Unpaid wages from months ago?_

Winifred continued. "George is now a partner at the bank, you see. It keeps him very busy. When he's home he spends his time with Jane and Michael… unfortunately, he's home much less now than he was even then." She gave a slight laugh, making light of the situation. "I suppose that's just how it goes, isn't it?"

Mary Poppins smiled as well. "I suppose so." She took a deep breath. If she was going to ask for a position, she needed to do it sooner rather than later. "Mrs. Banks, do you by chance have a new nanny?"

"Heavens, no!" Winifred laughed loudly. "The children speak of your many adventures during your time here, they've said no other nanny could ever compete!" _Well that answers one question_ , Mary Poppins thought. "George wants to put another advertisement in the paper—he's afraid that with him at work as long as he is, and women's rights becoming a more pressing topic that the children need someone here full time… Cook's not terribly fond of being with them all the time, see…" She looked up at Mary Poppins. "Are you wishing your post back? I'm sure George would be willing to have you again, you were very good with the children."

"Then I will go up to the nursery and—"

"Oh my," Winifred grabbed her arm before she could get up the stairs. "George has made it clear he wants to be the one to hire staff." She smiled, knowing she would probably regret saying what she was going to say later. "But I suppose this isn't me _hiring_ you, you are just returning to your position. Oh, head on upstairs!" Mary Poppins was halfway up the stairs before Winifred stopped her the second time. "Same wages, every second Tuesday off?" She nodded to the chipper woman. "As you were, Mary Poppins. I'll have Cook set you a seat at dinner with the children. I'm sure George will be very excited."

Mary Poppins continued up the stairs and to the familiar nursery, knowing that she was back where she belonged.


	3. Chapter 3

Jane and Michael didn't ask many questions when they saw Mary Poppins unpacking in the nursery. "Perhaps the wind has changed again." Jane suggested to her brother, who shrugged in reply. They sat silently in the doorway and watched her pull the mirror, hat stand, and potted plant out of her carpet bag and place them exactly where they were before. It was almost as if she had never left… everything seemed to be falling right back into place the way it was.

But something was different. The children didn't know what exactly, but there was something different about Mary Poppins. She didn't quip or snap or greet them with a game or measurement the way she did when they first met… that made sense, of course, as this was not their first time meeting her. She knew them quite well. Once she was done decorating her room she turned to the children, smiled, and said "Good morning". They said the same thing back and continued to watch her in puzzlement. "Shouldn't you children be in school?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

The children looked at each other and then back at Mary Poppins. "It's Saturday."

 _Of course it is_ , thought she, _I really should invest in a calendar one of these days._ Jane and Michael both quickly got off the floor and sat on her bed, ready to ask her questions. "What will we do today?" "Will we have a ceiling tea party with your Uncle Albert again?" "What about going to the fair?" "Oh, Bert must have a lot of drawings we could go into!" "I like the one with the fair, and the carousel horses, and the race!" "But maybe we could try his circus drawing just as well, that tightrope looked like a lot of fun!" "Just please don't take us back to the bank, Mary Poppins?" "We could feed the birds if we went to see father!" "Maybe we could dance on the rooftop with the sweeps!" "Michael, the sweeps aren't up there in the daytime." "Right… we never got fish last time! Maybe we could get fish?" "We don't need fish now, maybe another day…" "How long are you staying for this time, Mary Poppins?"

That was the last question either of the children asked her. She took a deep breath. "As long as you need me, I suppose." That was fishy. In the past she had told them that it wasn't up to her, that it was the _wind_ that made her choices. Was that a joke all along, that she chose to leave when she wanted to? No, that wasn't it. She must've loved them dearly, or she wouldn't have come back. But something strange was going on, they just didn't know what. "Now, your mother says we will be having dinner downstairs at six o'clock tonight, isn't that correct?"

"We always wait for father to come home for dinner now." Michael said softly. "He always tries to make it home for family dinner, but sometimes he just misses it." Mary Poppins couldn't tell how exactly he felt about that, but she assumed he was at least a little bit happy about his father wanting to spend a little bit of time with them, even though it didn't always work out according to plan. It certainly must've beat having dinner in the nursery by themselves, or being on their own for dinner. At long last it sounded like they were behaving like a relatively functional family.

She checked the time. It wasn't even noon yet. "There is a lot of day left. Why don't we go to the park?" The children were practically beaming—they weren't particularly big fans of the park, but they knew any trip with Mary Poppins was an adventure.

"It'll be just like last time!" The children started to spin about her like she was a maypole. They half expected a witty statement from her that would stop them, but instead she just asked them to get their hats and coats so that they could go on. Fishy indeed.

The park was, in all honesty, not the adventure they had in mind. She took the two children out with the kite that their father fixed for them and agreed to help them fly it if they needed to. She sat on a bench and watched the two of them play for a little while, then she walked with them in search of something, but they didn't know what. Jane and Michael got bored with this adventure quickly, but they knew that the day couldn't be over yet. Michael requested to go to the fish market and pick up those prawns they didn't get last time, so they hurried across town to see the fish monger. They were in and out almost immediately, with Mary Poppins holding a handkerchief over her mouth to prevent gagging (which she couldn't really seem to help, and the children were having troubles with the smells as well). To complete their trip they went to Mrs. Correy's for sweets (though not enough to spoil their dinners) and just to sit and rest their feet. By the time they made it back to the nursery, Mary Poppins looked more exhausted than the children had ever seen her.

"Are you alright, Mary Poppins?" Jane asked quietly as Mary Poppins removed her coat and put it away in the chest of drawers.

Mary Poppins nodded. "Wash up before dinner, Jane." Jane hurried to the water closet without another word.

Before joining the children downstairs, Mary Poppins looked herself over in her mirror. What had happened to her today? She felt so tired, and the excursion to the fish market nearly had her spewing. This was going to make her job unpleasant, that she knew. She put on more face powder and took a look at her silhouette. There wasn't a drastic swell around her stomach, nothing that was terribly noticeable if you just glanced at her, but she could see a tiny bump forming. Her hand went to it as if by instinct, but she put it down quickly and put on her apron before heading down the stairs and to dinner.

Days went by without any commotion or anything terribly special. She took the children on outings, and while they were fun, they weren't the kind of fun they remembered having with Mary Poppins. It was more relaxed, more ordinary… less magical and a little more real. Jane and Michael still loved Mary Poppins and were very glad to have her back, but this time they could tell something was different though they didn't know what. The good news was that Jane and Michael were in school a good portion of the week, so by the time they were done with homework there wasn't much time or energy left for adventuring. They kept asking her where Bert was and when they would get to see him, and she shrugged and answered, "When the time is right."

The time proved right two weeks after Mary Poppins had started working for the Bankses again. It was one of Bert's days as a screever, one of the best jobs for her to take the children to see him at. She introduced it as another mundane trip to the park, and they got dressed and ready just as they had the rest of the time she had been working. They started to dread the walk to the park, waiting for something interesting to happen. And as soon as they saw Bert, they knew that the good times they had with Mary Poppins were about to start up again. "Bert! Bert!" Jane and Michael shouted, running towards him and leaving Mary Poppins in the dust.

"Jane and Michael!" He greeted them and tipped his head as if he was wearing his hat (placed in a separate square, in hope of making some money off of people walking in the park). "And Mary Poppins, beautiful as ever."

She blushed. "You're too kind, Bert."

He continued, circling her quickly. "Are you feeling alright, Mary Poppins? You look tired, are you still sick—"

"I'm fine, Bert." She quipped, glaring in his direction. The children looked up at her with concern. She dismissed them as best she could. "Bert, I think we should take the children to the fair. What do you think?"

Jane and Michael were grinning from ear to ear. The fair would be an excellent time for all four of them, that was for certain! "Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Bert asked, pulling Mary Poppins slightly to the side. "I mean, if you're not, I can take them off your hands and you can rest… I'd hate for something to—you know—I couldn't imagine if—"

"Is something wrong?" Jane asked, juvenilely tugging on Mary Poppins' skirt. Michael appeared on the other side of Mary Poppins.

A little flushed in the face, Mary Poppins let out a sigh and stepped toward the drawing. "I'm feeling much better now, thank you. A little under the weather, that's all. Now let's go to the fair, I'm sure there will be candy apples and carousel horses with your names on them." She took each of the children's hands with her own and Bert held onto Jane's free hand.

They jumped through the drawing and landed in the countryside wearing the clothes they came in (unlike the time before, when they got a magical chalk-drawing makeover) and hurried toward the cafe with the penguin waiters. Jane and Michael ran ahead of the adults and turned to see them walking slowly after them, hand-in-hand, chatting and smiling and blushing like two young fools in love. The children thought to ask so many questions, letting curiosity get the best of them, but instead they listened to Mary Poppins' sound advice. They'd know what was going on just like when they'd see Bert again: when the time was right.


	4. Chapter 4

Time went by, and little changes started to happen around the Banks house. Very subtle things, like the staff decorating for Christmas and George Banks talking about a Christmas party that he would host for the men in his office (with his lovely wife playing the hostess and his adorable children put on display then whisked back up to the nursery and out of sight for the rest of the evening). Mary Poppins outgrew several of her outfits over a very short amount of time, and she started to wear heavier clothes to distract from her growing belly and no one really seemed to notice for quite a while.

But Winifred Banks was much more perceptive than Mary Poppins gave her credit for.

One day, after the children left for school, Winifred called Mary Poppins downstairs for a little meeting and a light breakfast. Mary Poppins got ready as she did every morning, dressed as she always did, and went down the stairs to meet the mistress of her household. She had planned everything she was going to say in regards to Mr. Banks' party for the bankers, and how long the children would stay, and what she would do with them afterwards. What else could Winifred Banks want to talk about other than the party her husband had been jabbering on about for the past couple weeks?

As soon as Mary Poppins sat down on the sofa, Winifred came into the room with a pot of tea and two cups. "Allow me to help you with that." Mary Poppins offered, starting to stand up, but Winifred put the cups down and gestured for her to stay put. Winifred sat down, smoothed out the front of her dress and began to pour some tea for her and the nanny. "Mrs. Banks, may I ask what the nature of this meeting is?"

"Oh, dear, please call me Winifred." Winifred insisted, but continued before Mary Poppins could ask any more questions. "Cook will be out with toast, eggs, and sausages in a few minutes. You are hungry, aren't you?" Mary Poppins nodded, still slightly confused. "I hope you know I consider my staff close friends."

None of what she was saying was adding up. Mary Poppins was very perplexed but picked up her teacup anyways. "Mrs. Banks…" Winifred opened her mouth. "Sorry, _Winifred_ , what is this regarding?"

Winifred tilted her head from side to side uneasily. "As long as you've worked here, I'm afraid I don't know you very well at all. Of course you're phenomenal with the children—there's no arguing that—and George and I are very fond of you, but we know very little about you." Mary Poppins swallowed her tea a little louder than she had intended. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? Your husband, your… family."

 _Ah_. "Yes, well, I had a younger brother who unfortunately passed before me; I practically raised him, I was twelve years older, and my parents died not long after he turned five…" Winifred was sitting on the edge of her seat, eying her and waiting. "But that's not what you wish to hear about, is it?" Winifred looked down at her teacup. "If you have something to say, go ahead and speak your mind. You said it yourself; you consider your staff close friends." Mary Poppins sipped her tea and waited for a few seconds. Winifred finally set her teacup on the table and folded her hands in her lap, ready to say what she was thinking.

"Mary Poppins, I've been meaning to ask you for quite a while—well, I suppose it's really none of my business… well, are you—" Mary Poppins arched an eyebrow at her. "What I'm trying to ask is if you are expecting a child. A child of your own, I mean."

She nodded. The only person she had told was Bert, and now it was so apparent that a woman she saw very rarely noticed? "How did you—?"

Winifred let out a little giggle. "Oh, dear, most ladies add more layers when it gets cold but they'll remove their coats indoors." Mary Poppins noticed that she was, in fact, wearing her coat while sitting inside the house. "Go ahead and take off your coat, Mary Poppins, you must be burning alive!" She did as she was told, and removed her coat to reveal her little baby bump right below her skirt. She folded the coat beside her. "Aren't you more comfortable now?" She nodded, raising her shoulders and slowly relaxing the tension she had been holding for so long. "Mary Poppins, you have been so good with the children, but you must be positively exhausted! When I was expecting Michael, chasing after Jane was a chore and she was hardly crawling… I can only imagine how you're doing with two older children…"

Mary Poppins wanted to inform her that being a nanny that was just a part of her job, but she didn't want to be rude when Winifred was being so kind to her. Jane and Michael were actually great children, very respectful to her and obedient, and since they were in school most of the time she had a good deal of time to herself. She sipped her tea coolly and let Winifred go on.

"You're so good with my children, I can only imagine how good you will be with your own. I'm sure Mr. Poppins is a very happy man." _Mr. Poppins_ , thought Mary silently, _is nonexistent_. Was Bert happy about the whole situation? She could only assume he wasn't offended by it; every time he saw her and the children he was so happy to see her and always asked how she was doing and if she was feeling even slightly under the weather he insisted on her resting and him taking the children on an adventure (which she always still went on, but that was beside the point). "I hope Jane and Michael aren't giving you any trouble… you have told them, haven't you?" Mary Poppins shook her head. "Well you must tell them! I recommend sooner rather than later." She nodded, realizing that Winifred was right. She didn't want to talk to the children at all about this—it was a delicate subject, and one she felt was too personal to share with her charges—but if Winifred believed it was a good idea, it must've been a good idea. "I mean, you don't want to be halfway through delivery when the children find out, do you?"

She hadn't even thought that far ahead. Delivery? That felt years away to her. She had been focusing so much on her life with the Banks children where she only saw her own child's father on her own terms. How often would Bert see his own child? How could she equally take care of the daughter and son she was being paid to take care of _and_ an infant of her own? _No_ , she told herself, _I've still got plenty of time._

"How are you feeling, by the way?" Winifred asked softly. "And how far along are you?"

Mary Poppins made her best guess. "About four months now, I suppose."

"About halfway there now, then." Winifred clapped her hands together in glee. "Do you hope it's a boy or a girl? I suppose it's a little too early to make speculations. If my memory serves me, if you're carrying low it's a boy and higher for a girl… of course, it's far too early to make guesses like that. You're hardly showing yet." _Yet_. That word scared Mary Poppins more than anything else Winifred had said so far. "Have you and Mr. Poppins picked out a midwife yet?" Mary Poppins shook her head again. She knew what midwives were and what their purpose was, but she hadn't thought about needing one. It seemed so far away and talking about it made it very… real. "Oh, Mary Poppins, you must take more time off and go to see a doctor and pick out a midwife… I'd love to meet Mr. Poppins sometime, too… you should invite him to the Christmas party!"

"Oh no, Bert—" Mary Poppins could feel herself flushing. "What I mean to say is, well, Bert and I are not—" Winifred nodded knowingly. "Please don't think any less of me because I am not married, Mrs. Banks."

Winifred shook her head and reached out to Mary Poppins, putting her hand on her knee. "Of course not, I know you are a very capable woman. But I do know you need to tell the children as soon as possible, and I'd love to meet this Bert fellow—I've heard a lot about him from the children." How would it be inviting a chimney sweep, almost always covered in soot, to a party for the upper middle class families of the banking world? The thought almost made Mary Poppins laugh. "But enough about what must be done, let's talk about you for a little bit. I insist you take more time off—every other Tuesday—to spend with the father and to go to appointments. You must go to see a doctor regularly, Mary Poppins, you simply must. And be careful where you're taking the children and how much you're doing, I'd hate for you to fall ill or get hurt. I'd never forgive myself if I let something happen to you or to your baby."

Mary Poppins just nodded in agreement to all of Winifred's requests. Now it was onto the part she dreaded: telling the children.


	5. Chapter 5

Mary Poppins nervously paced back and forth in the nursery, waiting for the children to come home from school. _I must tell them_ , she reminded herself, _it's what Winifred asked me to do, and she's being very good by keeping me on the staff. Most mothers would have likely thrown me out by now._ She heard the children running up the stairs and knew that there was no turning back now.

"Is something wrong, Mary Poppins?" Jane asked, seeing the deer-in-headlights look their nanny had adopted.

"I need to talk to you children, and it cannot wait." She said with great authority, trying to hide the fear that she felt in the back of her throat.

Jane and Michael exchanged a quick glance and then looked back at the woman. "You haven't been sacked, have you?" Michael blurted without a thought.

"Sacked?" Mary Poppins sucked her teeth. "Why do you children always assume I've been sacked?" Michael opened his mouth to answer but Jane covered it so that Mary Poppins could continue. "I have an announcement to make, and I've been holding it off for too long." Why was she having so much trouble with this? She told Bert with no problem whatsoever, and Winifred Banks guessed it herself. But this time was different: she was a role model to these children. "Well, I'm expecting a baby."

 _That wasn't so hard now, was it_? She asked herself. The children stood in front of her in stunned silence. She didn't know what to do or what to say, they were frozen. That wasn't the kind of reaction she was going for, nor did she want them almost blubbering like Bert was when he first found out. She was so glad that neither of them asked as many questions as their mother, but she really would have appreciated a response out of them sooner rather than later.

Jane gulped and asked the only question she was dreading. "Then I guess that means you'll be leaving us after all."

"No!" The nanny lost her calm and cool tone with that. She tried very hard to regain it, but it was already a lost cause. She could feel tears welling in her eyes without any real cause. _These must be the pregnancy hormones everyone was telling me about_ , she thought, not remembering that things like this had happened before but she managed to control them. "Jane, Michael, I care about you both like you're my own children. I want what's best for you both just like I do for this child. I cannot say that enough." Jane ran up to her beloved nanny and wrapped her in a big hug.

Michael still looked a little stunned. "Well what are we going to do today then?" He asked, changing the subject altogether.

Jane pulled away from the hug she had wrapped Mary Poppins in, walking back over towards her brother. "Now, Michael, we shouldn't expect too much now. When mother was expecting you she hardly left the house."

"I don't see why _that_ has to change anything." Michael commented, glaring at his sister. "This is Mary Poppins, after all. She's magical."

The children looked at her as if they were waiting for her to have some sort of comeback. What could she say in reply to that that wouldn't upset one of her charges? Jane was suddenly so certain that Mary Poppins was too dainty and delicate to do anything; Michael was dead set on the fact that nothing was going to change. Were things going to change? She hoped not.

She sighed and clasped her hands together. "Well, I think we can do at least one more big adventure, don't you think?" The children grinned gleefully. "What do you both want to do?"

Jane spoke before Michael could even think of a response. "We should go to the park, just like we did when you were our nanny the first time! Maybe Bert can conjure us up another fair to go to." Michael shrugged, realizing that was better than his idea. All he wanted was to go and get gingerbreads; that was not very adventurous.

"Very well." Mary Poppins agreed to, leading the two children out of the nursery, down the stairs, and out the door.

True enough to their plan, Bert was in the front of the park drawing up some new images and collecting the coins he could in his hat. She stood silhouetted over one of his squares and he started to trace her quickly. "Hold still." He said without looking up. He traced diligently, careful to get every curve of the silhouette. Based on the face he thought he recognized the woman before him, but the figure was almost unrecognizable… Bert saw the two pairs of shoes on either side of this woman and looked up to find his beloved before him. "Mary Poppins!" He stood and wrapped her in a warm embrace, which she did not decline. _Odd_ , thought he, but he didn't want to speak of it. "What brings you all out to the park today?"

"Mary Poppins is having a baby!" Michael piped excitedly, grinning as if he had just told Bert the biggest secret in the world.

Bert let out a little snicker and watched as Mary Poppins folded her hands over her slightly rounded stomach. "Well I can see that." She scowled at him briefly before returning her face to its natural position. It was easier to tell now that she wasn't wearing her heaviest winter wear even on relatively warm days. "Beautiful as ever, Mary." She smiled gleefully, blushing slightly.

Jane and Michael looked slightly puzzled. "Mary Poppins, how did Bert already know? You didn't even tell us until about an hour ago."

Bert, always good at coming up with amusing little stories to tell the children, thought quickly and came up with something small to tell them in order to keep them from badgering their nanny. "Sometimes adults just know these things, kids." _It wasn't as clever as I'd hoped it would be_ , he thought quietly, _but it'll have to do today_. "I've known Mary Poppins since I was a lad, I've always known what was going on with her."

"Well, children, don't you have something to ask Bert?" Mary Poppins nudged them forward, certain they'd pick out a chalk drawing and ask to jump.

Jane stepped forward and spoke clearly and confidently. "Are you the father of Mary Poppins' baby?" Mary Poppins' jaw dropped and Bert couldn't help but laugh at her bluntness (or perhaps the embarrassed look on Mary's face, or a combination of the two). Jane looked up at Mary. "Mary Poppins, it's a fact that every child has a mother and a father."

"That's true!" Bert agreed, looking across to Mary Poppins. This look conveyed the _I won't tell them anything you don't want me to_ message, to which she mouthed back _Go on_. "I have known Mary Poppins for a very long time, and there is no one in the world I'd rather spend my time with. She's a real treat, kids. This kid has the proudest parents in the world."

"So you're in love!" Michael grinned, looking at the two for some kind of symbol of a romantic relationship. The two still kept a comfortable distance. Neither argued with him, but nothing confirmed his statement. "Parents are always in love!"

Jane looked positively puzzled. "You _are_ in love, aren't you, Mary Poppins?"

Mary Poppins was wonderful at changing the topic of conversation. "Pictures, Bert. The children were wondering if you could pop them into one of your pictures." He nodded and grinned, then got ready to take them on a tour of his wonderful chalk sketches.

Jane tugged on Bert's jacket. "Where did you and Mary Poppins meet? I'd like to go there!" Bert thought long and hard on this. "Oh, well you must remember!"

He did remember, and with an approving nod from Mary Poppins he got down on his knees and started to sketch. It looked hardly different from the meadow that they first jumped into, the only difference being that the fair was rather apparent. He drew three small children: a girl and two boys, with the girl in between. They were walking towards a merry-go-round. The girl, the children realized, must've been a young Mary Poppins, but the boys were unclear. One of them must've been Bert, but who was the other? They were terribly puzzled, but without any explanation Mary Poppins, Bert, and the children jumped right in.

The fair whirled around them. The sights and the smells were rich though it was rather obvious that this side of the country was not as wealthy as western London. Mary Poppins had Jane on one side and Michael on the other, making sure to keep them close. People ran past them and towards this carousel with a very loud barker in front of it beckoning people. The young Mary Poppins gave two coins to the barker and led the boys up to the horses. But there was a little trouble: one of the boys, the older boy, was stopped and not permitted to get on. The boy had to leave and he was digging in his pockets for a little bit of money, but there was none to be found. The girl went back to the barker after getting the other boy on the horse, gave him another coin, and took the other boy to a horse. The three rode giddily around on the merry-go-round and the relationship between the boy and young Mary Poppins was visibly forming.

Bert put his hand on Mary Poppins' waist, and for the first time in public she didn't shy away. She had never watched them meet: it was incredible, even at that age they behaved similar to how they do now. She was always so demure and nurturing, Bert was always so kind and warm. For the first time in forever she saw her precious little brother… "You always picked that purple merry-go-round horse." Bert said sentimentally, smile beaming. Jane and Michael looked up to see the two.

"And you always picked yellow!" Mary Poppins grinned, realizing this memory. Every time they went to this carnival—which was every year, and whenever they went to Bert's sketched fairs as well—he always rode the gaudy canary yellow horse.

Bert smirked. "Well, I knew Oliver always picked the red horse." Mary's smile fell. She had been trying not to think of Oliver for so long. Bert saw tears welling in her eyes. "Mary, he's in a better place now. He was very sick, and you couldn't help that."

She took a handkerchief out of her pocket and dabbed her cheeks. "I know." She said, her voice breaking a little. "You were so good to him, he cared very much for you."

"He was a good kid." Bert said, trying to revive her smile. "And I bet that our little girl is going to be a lot like him, I'm sure of that."

 _Daughter?_ Thought she. "What makes you think we're having a daughter?" Was it the end of the world to have a daughter? No, she quite enjoyed being a girl. But in her mind she was better with taking care of boys; Jane was the girl she had taken care of the longest and she was the primarily well-behaved older child.

"Any child lucky enough to look like you had best be a beautiful girl." Mary blushed, but Bert couldn't stop smiling with these words. He had been imagining what their child would look like and every time he saw the same thing: a beautiful little girl toddling beside her mother in a pale pink sundress, wavy brown hair, and eyes blue as the sky. Bert actually saw very little of himself in this child, he just saw what he imagined Mary Poppins must've been like as a tiny child (as he didn't meet her until Oliver was at least five or six). It was nothing like what Mary Poppins had pictured at all: a strong, strapping boy with a mind like Bert but a little better behaved. They had very different thoughts on it… the more she thought about the little girl Bert had talked about them having, the boy she imagined started to fade… "Well what's wrong, Mary? You look like you're about to cry."

She shook her head and smiled, getting ready to speak when Jane and Michael came running back toward them. "I—well, we should get these two home so that they can get some rest, shouldn't we?" The four of them walked out of the fair and back through the park, then went their separate ways. And for the first time in a long time, Mary wished that she was going home with him instead of the children.


	6. Chapter 6

Mary never took her days off lightly, but she very rarely did much on them. Ever since Winifred Banks had given her the extra Tuesday of the month off, she had so much free time out of the month she tended to let it go to waste by lounging about (which, Winifred told her, was hardly a waste of time; she wouldn't likely be doing that with an infant). She did, however, start just about every other Tuesday having breakfast with Winifred after the children were ready and going off to school (and Mr. Banks was heading to work, as he did not see Mary Poppins often, and she was slightly embarrassed to inform him what had been going on). Mrs. Banks had a lot of information about raising children though she did hire people to take care of her own. "They're only little for a little bit," Mrs. Banks warned while sipping her tea. "I hope you treasure every moment with him or her."

One of those Tuesday morning breakfasts, Mr. Banks walked in and saw his wife and Mary Poppins just chattering away. He wasn't terribly observant, or he likely would have noticed that Mary Poppins was expecting a child (which likely he would've said something about, and that was the only reason she was sure he hadn't been paying her attention). "Why, Mary Poppins, you must bring your husband to the Christmas party. The young chimney sweep, the one who covered my children in soot." Mary Poppins just smiled but said nothing, as she did not want to correct her boss on the fact that she was not married. "You will likely be spending the entire party with the children, but it is Christmas, and you should spend it with your family if you can." She thanked him kindly, and he tipped his head and left.

That particular Tuesday Winifred had made a phone call on Mary Poppins' behalf. She made sure she was dressed and ready to go just as the children were. Mary Poppins knew she was getting ready to have to buy a new dress—especially if she was to go to the Banks Christmas party with Bert—and though Winifred had kindly offered her some of her clothes from when she was expecting Michael, Winifred was still far wispier than Mary Poppins had ever been and would ever be. "You've got many errands to run, Mary Poppins, and they're all very important." Winifred told her as she wrapped up her breakfast to go. "Take your time and rest but remember that everything you're doing today is necessary and that time _is_ of the essence." Without another word, Winifred walked her to the door, where Bert was waiting on the stairs.

The way Bert looked at her was the way most women want to be looked at. He was completely in awe of her, and the fact that even completely exhausted on a cold Tuesday morning she could look as radiant as she did. He looked at the little chicken-scratch note that Winifred had given him over the phone to decide his plan of attack.

Mary Poppins didn't know what was on the agenda. Bert took her hand and he really took control for the day. First was a doctor's appointment where the doctor told them both that the baby was going to be healthy and born in the spring (which Mary Poppins felt was worlds away and feared how big she would get by then, it was only December and she felt off-balance). Bert knew how much longer that gave him to have enough money to be a decent father to this child, though Mary Poppins kept reassuring him that the child wasn't going to need money. The second stop was a dress shop for Mary Poppins (who didn't want to say that she needed a new dress, or even a few, but she got a couple that were far more comfortable and had more give to accommodate her changing figure), where Bert saw the mother of his child as the grand and glorious woman that she was rather than a young woman dressing older than she was in order to hide her shape. Lastly he took her to a furniture shop to look for a pram for the baby and a crib as well (she insisted that their baby wouldn't need a crib, but he knew she was lying because she didn't want to cause any financial strain for either of them). They didn't get anything at the last store, but she was exhausted by the time she should've been trying to head home. He helped her wearily walk up the stairs to his apartment so that she could rest a little before heading back to Cherry Tree Lane.

She started to put tea on the stove for the two of them, but nearly fainted as she entered the kitchen. Bert came in and caught her. "Oh no you don't." He said, assisting her over to the couch and helping prop her up with pillows. "I'll be back with a blanket, you take off your shoes and rest. I don't want you getting off of that couch until I'm back." Mary Poppins did as he said and leaned back, resting her hands on her stomach. And that's when she felt it: the first established kick at her stomach. She had been feeling flutters for weeks, possibly even months, but she had never felt a kick so sharp she knew exactly what the baby was doing.

"Bert!" She squealed excitedly. He came running out and rushing to her side to see what was the matter. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her baby bump so that he could feel it too. Sure enough, one more little jab and the baby seemed to be done moving.

Bert was completely in awe. "You feel that too?" He asked, realizing it was a stupid question. Of course she felt it, the baby was inside her; if he could feel it, she most certainly could. Mary Poppins nodded and grinned, unable to control her glee. "Has that ever happened before?" She shook her head but the smile remained. He gave a pat to the baby bump. "That's my girl." He stated so proudly, lowering his lips to the bump and giving a small kiss. He soon lifted himself up off of his knees and, remembering how Mary Poppins was usually against romantic physical contact (though, he knew quite well, there were some times when that was _certainly_ not the case), acted as though it never happened. "I'll get you some tea, and a blanket, you just rest some and then I'll take you home."

Without much thought as to what had happened that day, Mary Poppins drifted into a short nap while Bert hurried to get everything he wanted to get done before she woke up. Usually if she fell asleep at his apartment (which was rare despite how many Tuesdays prior she had spent there) it was in very short bursts before she remembered that she wasn't at home and was staying with a man. He had been watching her in this habit for so long that he assumed she would be asleep for roughly an hour at the most. He had so much to do and so quickly, so he walked with cat-like tread behind the couch and the sleeping nanny to the back room where he diligently worked away.

It had to be practically perfect for her.

He kept eyeing his pocket watch and watched the hand move around the circle, waiting to hear Mary Poppins jolt awake and try to hurry out without saying goodbye. But he watched the hour run up as he finished his job and the living room was still silent. He even peeked in to make sure that Mary Poppins hadn't left already. She was just napping peacefully, rolled over and curled up under the blanket. Bert didn't wish to wake her, but it was starting to get darker and he knew she'd be so embarrassed to get back to the Banks house after the children had gone to bed and only the adults were still awake. As it neared 5 o'clock, he went back into the living room to wake her.

"Mary?" He asked, questioning himself as to how exactly wake her. She didn't even stir at the calling of her name. "Mary, it's time to wake up." Not a budge. "Mary, the Bankses will wonder where you're at." She gave a little whimper and curled up even tighter under the blanket. She didn't want to move at all, and he really didn't want to make her. She was always on her feet, always running about with the children and going on each and every little errand while they weren't in classes (and while they _were_ in classes she kept the nursery tidy, did basic household chores, and provided Winifred Banks company). What harm could more rest do? Mary Poppins was working herself to death, and Bert simply couldn't have that. At the very least, he wanted to make sure she was comfortable. He carefully lifted her and carried her into the other room, her arms wrapping around her neck as he carried her toward his bedroom and tucked her back in under his quilt, propping her head up with a couple pillows. She was still fast asleep (obviously, or she would have stubbornly insisted on leaving his flat semi-instantaneously) and he couldn't help but be glad to see her resting in his bed.

Bert still found it almost insane that just a few months ago Mary Poppins told him he was going to be a father. It almost baffled him (though it shouldn't have; it was entirely possible with their frequent summer trysts) how time had flown, and now he could see—though still easily hidden—the maternal figure she was adopting. A few months ago he could never imagine anything more beautiful than this poised and polished nanny he had grown so fond of many years ago and fonder by the day, but he found himself quite wrong. There was nothing quite as lovely as what was before him: hair hardly mussed, sleeping soundly in his bed, and starting to show that she was with child through her new red dress. She was stunning yet so simple, and Bert saw that she wasn't exactly the goddess he saw her as before; she was completely, and wonderfully, human. He quietly started to leave the room and go downstairs to ring for the Banks household and let them know that Mary Poppins wouldn't be returning that night, but he was stopped before he could leave.

"Stay." A soft voice said, hardly a whisper. Mary Poppins patted the pillow beside her. Bert wasn't about to turn such an offer down. He kicked off his shoes, got on the bed beside her, and gave her a kiss on the forehead before he too started off into dreamland. All he could hope for was that whatever he dreamed was as good as what was happening right where he was.

Only a few hours later, Mary woke up and realized what time it was. Far too late for her to return home (perhaps only nine o'clock, but later than she was usually out) without an escort, as it was dangerous at this hour for her to walk through the park on her own. To her side was Bert, pleasantly napping. "Bert, I must go home." She said, and as if instantly he sat up out of bed and started to put on his shoes. No questions asked, he stood up and started for the door to grab his coat. Mary Poppins got up gently and smoothed her hair down before walking towards the door.

Before she could open it, Bert grabbed her arm. "Wait, follow me." He led her towards that spare room that she remembered he kept all of his work equipment in. "Close your eyes." He said, putting his hands over them to make sure she wouldn't peek. He cut on a light and waited to see her reaction. "Open."

Her jaw almost instantly hit the floor. His little room that he filled with all of his tools was suddenly something entirely different: a living space. In the corner he had a rocking chair with a cobalt cushion on it, and he had a crib in front of the window with new chiffon drapes. There were little drawings (like his chalk sketches) painted on the drawers of the white dresser, and on top of it was a stuffed yellow horse. She had lots of questions for him—how did he afford such a lavish nursery, where did he find all these things, how long had he had this room set up, and why—but she couldn't manage to ask any of them.

"Now you don't have to say anything right now." He started, taking her hands in his and peering into her eyes. "I just wanted to show you the nursery. Missus Banks gave us some clothes and things for the baby, and the horse was mine when I was a kid. She said the baby would need her own room, so I did the best I could… Missus Banks said that you'd be able to take the spring off to spend time with the baby and you could come back when Jane and Michael got out of school…"

Mary Poppins looked confused. "Why would I leave the Banks? After the baby is born she—or he—will stay in the nursery with me, Jane, and Michael. I don't see why I'd need to take any time off." She saw his smile drop. "Bert, this is terribly sweet, but there's a job that must be done. I'm sure, however, that the baby will love spending his or her Tuesdays in here, just as much as I do." She wrapped him in an embrace she had been holding back so long, resting her forehead on his chest. "I hope you know I am very fond of every moment I spend with you."

He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I know." They started out the door and down the street, walking arm-in-arm toward the Banks house in the dim light of the street lamps. He bid her adieu on the porch of her residence with a curt handshake (though not exactly what he had hoped for, but he understood), heading back home with a little spring in his step. And he noted that she didn't shy away from his home nursery entirely, and maybe when the time was right it would be used by their little girl.


End file.
